New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-10-26

Is Iss
Tor me then til n Il father was SO
easy to get excited, and then hewould
forget. had to watch him and do.
my own work besides. Now i have
only myself to look after q. e
1. Do you not often get tired 81 the
work.
Well, I'm not dead struck on it,
and would take ano ther Job too quick
if / could get it," ANNE occasionally
drops into slang But / have been
brought up to the work, and there's
nothing else Icould do where could
earn as much. Sometimes ladies talk
to mo and some say they would not
do it for any thing. and others again
praise me. | don't know which are
right. All know is that am used
to the switches and don't mind, ex-
.cept at times"
The tone OF voice was cheerful, al
though quiet, and the words came as
the conviction arrived at after care
full weighing of all the advantages and
disadvantages.
do you not suffer from cold in the
winterY, 81
80 yes, sometimes. The wind has
such q sweep here; but dodge in and
out Of the shanty, if it is only for a
minute to warm my fingers. The
cold | don't mind so much as the
heat. These tracks draw the sun so.
It is very hot here at times, and then
l =have awful headaches"
s.You don't give up2''
81 can't; there's no one to take my
place, was the quiet reply.
Does your sister practice telegraphy
now?"
"No; she was taken sick; then moth
er was sick and needed someone to
help her with the housekeeping
''Then you support the fam1ly?"
eyes, with little laugh. The next
moment Annie was outside setting a
switch for a freight train that went
laundering by. AS the caboose passed,
a shout Of "Hello Annie!''' brought an
answering smile and wave Of the
hand from the girl.
s"They all speak to her, and she has
a pleasant word for everyone" said
the uncle, and | had the occasion to
notice the truth Of the remark during
the course of my visit.
Were you not frightened when the
Polish rioters came down through the
yard last year," I asked as Anniere.
turned.
"Well, I wasn't frightened, but /
didn't feel exactly comfortable" was
the naive reply. Twas out in theyard
when saw them coming. couldn't
leave, as there were the switches to
throw. One fellow called out to me
that Ishould quit work. l told him
to mind his own business. Then a
great big Pole attempted to put his
arms around me. cried Get away
from me, you greatnasty p olack! and
gave him such slap in the face that
he staggered off. The others laughed
and made no attempt to touch me
when I went through them to set a
switch for a train that was coming.
After that went into the shanty and
the crowd went toward the city; that
was the last / saw of them"
This was a very simple, modest re-
cital of an event that few men would
have cared to have been concerned in.
The mob was made up of Polish Ia
borers who were flushed with victory at
the West Milwaukee shops, and mad
announced their intention Of driving
off evey workman found employed
anywhere. 1t was composed of the
same element that two days latter
made the attack on Bay View thatre-
suited 50 disastrously to themselves,
Only once did Annie dodge aques-
ton. That was when, rising to go, I
asked: ''How old are you, Annie?"
''Just as old as l Hook" was the re-
ply, quick as a fash, but the sting Of
the words was drawn by merry peal
OF laughter.
"How old do I look?" she asked,
moment later.
After hasty sum in mental arith-
metic automatically replied: Given
ty-three."
Pm all o; that was the smiling
response, and the interview closed.
The most prominent feature in An
MES character is her sunny DISPOSE
ton. This. perhaps, is the secret of
her hold on the rough men with whom
she is thrown in contact. She is new
er idle. When sitting in the switch
''shanty' she knits mittens and stock
ings both for herself and the remain
der of the family. When all are pro
vided for she employs her needles on
wristlets, which find a ready sale
among the train-crews.
Annie is a firm believer in woman's
rights, SO far as they pertain to la
Dor, but troubles herself very little
about the question which agita-
tors continue to thrash over
and over. Whilethey havebeen striv-
ing after the unattllinable, she has
been quietly working out practical
solution OF the perplexng pro blem.
Many stories are told OF Annie's
pluck and dexterity, whereby serious
accidents which would have entailed
great destruction oflife and property